Armstrong fears for his safety at TDF

LONDON - Lance Armstrong fears he could be attacked by spectators if he returns to the Tour de France next year.

The seven-time Tour champion, who is making a comeback after three years in retirement, said in an interview in The Guardian on Tuesday that he is concerned about his safety.

“I don’t want to enter an unsafe situation but you see this stuff coming out of France,” said the American rider, who has many critics in France. “There’re some aggressive, angry emotions. If you believe what you read, my personal safety could be in jeopardy.

I'm always amazed that you don't see more riders getting knocked around when going through the crowds on some of the climbs. And I don't doubt there are people who would like to see Armstrong fail in a big way.

However....this statement seems like something that would just be more likely to add fuel to a small fire.

As is his M.O. he's looking for things to motivate him in his training/preparation. He always would use various incidents as fuel to fire his intense training.

If he fears for his safety don't do the race. I don't think he should go to the Tour officials and expect to receive some type of CIA Presidential security detail to escort him all around France. Its likely he will be on camera every moment he is outside his hotel. Me thinks he doth protest too much. As usual he has this overwhelming false sense of self-importance.

If you think that because he said he would, he will, then you also probably believe that because he said he didn't test positive, he was clean.

It does not follow.

When he starts the race in July, that's when you can post, a sharp & short retort. Until then keep checking the media; since he's already changed his mind twice, it should keep you interested..... Its kind of the point, btw....

Instead he says he will ride the Tour again (September), then that he's not sure (October/November). And then frets about his safety.

He shall not ride it. But he has been making and will continue to make excuses along the way.

When he starts the race in July, that's when you can post, a sharp & short retort. Until then keep checking the media; since he's already changed his mind twice, it should keep you interested..... Its kind of the point, btw....

Just out of curiosity, how many riders have been attacked while riding the Tour. In the couple of years I watched (lost interest, it's like NASCAR....pedal, pedal, pedal, coast, pedal, coast) I never saw anyone intentionally cause harm.

Just out of curiosity, how many riders have been attacked while riding the Tour. In the couple of years I watched (lost interest, it's like NASCAR....pedal, pedal, pedal, coast, pedal, coast) I never saw anyone intentionally cause harm.

At least 2 and in both those cases a major impact on the Tour. Both involving riders with far better overall results than Armstrong.

1950: Another controversial Tour saw Bartali punched to the ground and threatened with a dagger on the Col d'Aspin. He got up to win the stage, and then withdrew, with all his teammates, claiming their lives were in danger. (All teams were national teams at that time. Italy had 2 teams, both withdrew all riders).

1975: Merckx was assaulted by a fan, losing at least close to a minute on the stage. He also suffered from a seperate injury that made it difficult (or impossible) to eat solid food. He still finished second in all 3 major competitions.

EDIT: More recently a rider was accosted by fans in hte Giro and disqualified for punching one of those fans. Drawn a blank on his name, but not an also ran, one of the co favorites that year and a previous winner.

At least 2 and in both those cases a major impact on the Tour. Both involving riders with far better overall results than Armstrong.

1950: Another controversial Tour saw Bartali punched to the ground and threatened with a dagger on the Col d'Aspin. He got up to win the stage, and then withdrew, with all his teammates, claiming their lives were in danger. (All teams were national teams at that time. Italy had 2 teams, both withdrew all riders).

1975: Merckx was assaulted by a fan, losing at least close to a minute on the stage. He also suffered from a seperate injury that made it difficult (or impossible) to eat solid food. He still finished second in all 3 major competitions.

EDIT: More recently a rider was accosted by fans in hte Giro and disqualified for punching one of those fans. Drawn a blank on his name, but not an also ran, one of the co favorites that year and a previous winner.

The assault on Merckx was probably the most infamous and he also declined to race in 1973 when the French said they could not guarantee his safety due to death threats... had he raced it is probable that he could have won his 5th TdF then instead of waiting until 1974.

You got it. For a second I was thinking, no not that one someone else, then I realized I had been thinking of Simoni, but only because it involved his fans, and in part I remember this incident becasue Simoni was so cool a couple of years earlier regarding Handing Perez a stage win a few days after Perez lost his chance to become the first stage winner from his country in the Giro.

The story if that. Perez was just under a minute ahead of a chasing pack on the final climb when he broke his chain. No cars betweeen, no help until the pack passed him. A couple of days later Simoni and Perez are a two man break. I'd guess usual deal, time for Simoni, stage for Perez. Then a couple of miles out Perez just runs out of gas. Simoni would have been entitled to drop Perez, he was not obligated to give back musch of the time gain. Instead he helped hiom to the stage win.

Just shows a rider who at laeast some of the time is a very decent guy can have some total jerks as fans. Yes this applies to American riders too.

The assault on Merckx was probably the most infamous and he also declined to race in 1973 when the French said they could not guarantee his safety due to death threats... had he raced it is probable that he could have won his 5th TdF then instead of waiting until 1974.

Considering that from his first win in a Major Tour until his last win no rider ever beat him in a major tour I'd say that is pretty likely.

In hindsight I can sort of understand Armstrong's concern considering fans were actually spitting on him as he climbed and I recall one of the fans in a photo giving him the finger. It would be quite difficult to police every mile of a 3000 km 3 week race. Still that is the price one pays when he is doing it with the supposed primary motivation being to increase cancer awareness.

I'm sure Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr were concerned for their safety during the marches and yet they continued on.